1. Field of the Invention.
This invention relates to cordless-iron apparatus and, more specifically, to such apparatus which permits effective use of the iron, itself, on any kind of fabric without damage to the fabric.
2. Prior Art.
Cordless irons and the bases therefor, together referred to herein as "cordless-iron apparatus", exist in various forms, all primarily including an iron having an electrically heated, heat-retention sole plate, the heating occurring while the iron, itself, is secured in its base, which base includes an electrical connector designed and positioned to co-operate with a corresponding connector carried on the heel of the iron. Consumer Reports in its March, 1987 issue reports that its biggest objection to cordless irons is the need to frequently replace the iron in its base. They also cite the need to set the temperature of the iron for a particular fabric in order to avoid melting the fabric being ironed.
In my earlier U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,269,040 and 3,435,548 I attempted to solve this and other problems. However, I have found that the structure recited therein is unduly expensive and that the sole-plate-covering materials described therein tend to deform and sag, making ironing more difficult and the results of the ironing less satisfactory. Specifically, in my U.S. Pat. No. 3,435,548 at column 5, lines 43-51 I refer to the use of a sheet of aromatic polyamide laminated over the shoe. However, my experience has shown that such polyamides do not have the dimensional stability of the polyimide film used in this invention.
Further, cordless irons are usually equipped with a steam generating mechanism which may cause wetting instead of steaming of the material being ironed as a result of an uncontrolled amount of water being injected into the steam-generating chamber.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to overcome the various problems described for prior art cordless-iron apparatus.
It is a further object of this invention to provide cordless-iron apparatus including a cordless iron which may be heated to a high temperature and used without scorching the material being ironed.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a cordless iron with effective and controlled steam generation.